When Jimi Hendrix arrived in the 1960s, Keith Richards thought he “ruined” the guitar

Keith Richards said Jimi Hendrix’s extraordinary playing had almost “ruined” the guitar, because many musicians tried to copy his dramatic style without his rare ability. His remark captures the paradox of Hendrix’s influence: he expanded what guitarists thought the instrument could do, while setting a standard few could match.

The article recounts how Linda Keith, then Hendrix’s girlfriend, urged Richards to hear the unknown musician in New York. Richards saw Hendrix perform with Curtis Knight and at Ondine’s, and thought he was on the verge of breaking through; an introduction to Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham came to nothing after Hendrix had an off day. Chas Chandler of The Animals later saw Hendrix at Cafe Wha? and helped bring him to London, where The Experience took shape.